By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Fifth-grader Luke Sweeney, 11, turns on the solar power to light a bulb; a conventionally powered bulb burns on the left. Children at Bethany School in Glendale took part in an exhibition on solar power presented by Allen Rainey. The Cincinnati Enquirer/MICHAEL E. KEATING

When Allen Rainey installed solar power panels on his Indiana property to save money on energy costs, he had no idea solar power would spark his life's calling.

During a mission trip to Honduras with a friend in 2000, Rainey helped repair solar-powered refrigeration systems in a medical clinic. The refurbished refrigeration system allowed the clinic to store vaccines against deadly childhood diseases.

Since then, he has traveled back to Honduras and to Africa to install solar panels in churches, clinics, an orphanage and one school through a nonprofit organization he founded in College Hill called SonLight Power Inc.

College Hill Presbyterian Church donated the first $2,500 to launch Rainey's nonprofit organization. But to continue his mission, he knew he needed other resources.

And the requests continue to come. A children's center in Kenya requested help lighting a building that houses 300 orphans, so Rainey contracted with a company to install the lighting.

His latest project, which began this year, is a partnership with local schools to raise money to light schools in foreign countries.

The cost to provide solar power to the schools is daunting for the tiny nonprofit, but Rainey recently found his first local school partner - Bethany School in Glendale. He hopes to find more schools willing to sponsor the Honduran schools.

Bethany's 250 students plan a fund-raising rock-a-thon May 3-8. Students are securing pledges for each minute they rock in rocking chairs.

Candace Kirksey, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, said it's fulfilling to know she'll help light a school by participating in the rock-a-thon.

"When I go to summer camp, I can hardly survive without water and electricity," she said. "I can't imagine living like that."

Bethany school officials said they hope the students learn a lesson from the fund-raiser.

"It's eye-opening for the kids," said teacher Dee Morgan. "But they can see a small effort goes a long way."

Rainey now wants to bring solar power to 24 more schools in a rural area of Honduras. Hundreds of students attend the schools but they don't have lights, electricity or audio-visual aids, such as TVs and overhead projectors. The equipment to light each school costs up to $2,500.

"It'll do two things: provide light so they can learn to read easier and better, and also provide them with ability to see videos of the rest of the world and learn the things students here learn," Rainey said. "The main thing is that it gets the students excited about learning about the rest of the world."

Rainey and his wife, Ann, also converted their property near Brookville, Ind., into a solar power training facility for volunteers and sponsors.

For more information on how to donate to SonLight Power, go to www.sonlightpower.org. Or call Allen Rainey at (513) 521-0708.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com